Automobile radiator grille with detachable section



nuunuuuuunuununnn July 9, 1935. L. B1 GREEN 07, 9

AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR GRILLE WITH DETACHABLE SECTION Filed Dec. 31, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

mhl jmmhu 4 I E f lifirum i I var; tofv HIHI II July 9,1935. 1.. B. GREEN 2,001,529 Y AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR GRILLE WITH DETACHABLE SEC TION Filed Dec. 31, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lleefi, Gkeeq QZM W a NITED STA 1 Patented July 9, 1935 PATENT OFFICE j 22 Claims. (crates-54) My invention relates to a metal grille for guarding-tan aperture its general objects being vthat of providing a grille WhichWill present the appearance of a unitary and artistically harmoni- 5,: ous 'construction,"and which will allow a section of thegrille to. be readilydetac'hed for affording accesslto what isbehind that section without requirlng the grille to have either a continuously.

exposed openingforthat purpose. In one of its immediate commercial aspects, in

invention relates to grilles used on the so-called radiator shells on passenger automobiles for guarding the frontal air-admitting openings in these radiator shells, and for partially concealing -fthe radiatorcores behind the said shells; for which purpose such grilles are commonly constructed of parallel blades fastened to cross-members. a In this aspect,.my invention'aim's' to pro vide a two-part grille which will present a substantially unitary appearance while also overcoming theiollowing objections to'the entirely unitary automobile radiator grilles now in'common use: j v

v (1) Since such afrontal grille on'an automobile usually extends across an extension of the been provided with a correspondingly positioned opening through which a'hand crankcan be in- I :serted for operating the said mechanism. "In practice, the inserted end portion of the hand crank usually has a diameter many times that of the spacing between consecutive blades of the grille, so that-the needed crank-admitting open-- ingwould extend across-many bladesof the grille.-'

Consequently; these blades are constructed'of alined sections and the adjacentends of'the blade sections are usually connected by a crank-hole Lmdesirablylarge opening for admitting stones or I the like, unless this'opening is normally closed by a detachable cover, in which case thecover itself may easily be lost.

(2) Such a frontal grille on an automobile is generally spaced forwardly from the radiator core, so that thesuction fan behind this core will draw air through a much greater portion of the said core than that directly in'front of the fan, and this spacing is considerably increased when the grille has a v-sectioned'or a forwardly bowed front. Consequently, both dust, mud andsnow,

gradually collect on the so-called apron which When this has occurred, the usual smallness of thespacing between the consecutive blades of the grilleprevents the inserting of a brush or the like for scraping the deposit off the apron, or even. for adequately reaching these accumulations with a jet of water for washingthem off.

.(3) The customary disposition of such a gril1e -which-' in modern passenger automobiles isfastenedto the rear or inward face of the radiator shell front andhe'nce cannot be removed Without first detaching the radiator shell from the chassisalso prevents any ready access to the radiator core from 'the front of the latter. Consequently, it is difiicult even for a garage mechanic'to clean the socalled core cells (or air passages through this core) adequately, and without such an occasional cleaning the water-coolin'g efficiency of the radiatoris considerably reducedJ I Mypresent invention aims to overcome all of thejust recited objections to the nowcustomary axis ofthe shaft of the manually operable. starter mechanism, a grille forthis purpose has usually automobile radiator grilles in the following general manner: v

r (A) By providing a generally integral grille from which a section can readily be detached, desirably manually or without requiring more than a mere screw-driver for detaching it, and, thereafter manually replaced, while still preserv- .ing thecontinuity of the grille-blades or otherpat-tern-forming elements of the grille so that the grille will simulate the desired unitary appearance. Y

(Bl-By constructing the detachable section in a blade'grille main of blade portions which extend incontinuation, of non-detachable blade portions ,so that the grille still adequately retains such a unitary appearance. I

(C) Bydisposing the detachable section so that it will extend acrossan extension of the axis of the manually operable starter shaft, thereby permitting a hand crank to reach this shaft when the said section isdetached.

(D) By making the detachable section sufilciently wider than the shaft-gripping end of the usual. hand crank astopermit a user to insert both his fore-arm and a brush or the like through the opening left in the grille-when this section is. detached, thereby enabling any one to clean dirt or snow off the said apron speedily, or likewise enablingfa garage attendant to reach a considerable portion of the radiator core behind the grille with the nozzle of a compressed air hose.

In addition, my invention aims to provide a grille construction for the above recited purposes, in which the detachable section may be of any desired height and width in proportion to the total exposed width and height of the grille, and in which the detachable section will be firmly held against rattling.

Still further and also more detailed objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lower mid-width portion of a V-front automobile radiator grille embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, taken after the detachable section has been removed.

Figs. 3 and 4 are rear elevations of the parts A and B respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 55 of Fig. l, with a portion of the latch engaging member broken away.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, but showing a taller detachable section.

Fig. 7 is a rear perspective view of the detach able section alone, with its mid-height portion broken away.

Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of the latchengaging memberalone.

Figs. 9 and 10 are sections, allied respectively toupper and lower portions of Fig. 6, taken while the detachable section was being attached to the main and stationary part of the grille.

Fig. 11 is a section allied to Fig. 9, showing the interlocking of the latching spring with the central blade of a V-front grille when this is a wide blade.

Fig. 12 is a, section allied to Fig. 6, showing an alternative construction of numerous parts.

a In the drawings, I am showing my invention as applied to a grille of the widely used type in which parallel and substantially upright blades of rearwardly open section are cross-connected by vertically spaced cross-members or so-called tie-bars, and in which my invention permits all of the blades to present an apparently continuous appearance while still allowing a laterally central lower section of the grille to be easily detached.

To provide for the detachability of such a grille portion, I make all of the blades I with the exception of a central group of blades continuous throughout the length of the grille, and connect these single-piece blades I by cross-mem bers' which rigidly space them. As here shown, each such continuous blade has rearwardly projecting web tabs T extending through slots S in a rearwardly open channel-sectioned cross-bar C disposed above the opening in the grille which is normally closed by the detachable section of the grille, these tabs being clinched against the rear face of the cross-bar as shown in Fig. 3. The lower end portion of each continuous grille blade I is fastened to a lower cross-bar, and to make this cross-bar serve also as part of a socket for receiving the lower portions of the detachable grille section (which is shown separately in Fig. 7) I desirably construct this lower bar of two anglesectioned strips.

' In the drawings, this cross-bar has as its smaller portion an angle-sectioned metal strip comprising a riser web 2 (which may bear rearwardly against the blades to stiffen the assembly) and also has a rearwardly projecting web 2a; while the larger angle-sectioned strip includes a taller riser web 3 which has its upper portion extending in front of and welded to the riser web 2 of the companion strip. This larger strip also includes a rearwardly projecting web 3a which is spaced downwardly from the aforesaid rearwardly projecting web 2a, and each single-piece blade is shown in Fig. 4 as anchored to the double-strip lower crossbar by deforming the blade web portions Ia, which extend between the two webs 2a and 3a, after the manner more fully disclosed in my copending application #746,873, filed October 4, 1934 on a Grille-blade and cross-bar assembly.

To make the other blades of the grille simulate single piece blades also, I construct each of these other blades of two alined sections, with the upper blade section 4 of each such two-piece blade extending downwards slightly beyond the crossbar C and fastened to the latter (as shown in Fig. 3) in the same manner as the continuous blades I. Then I provide a detachable grille section which f'includes the companion sections 5 of the two-sectioned blades, together with means for rigidly spacing these companion sections similarly to the upper sections 4 of the two-sectioned blades, and which detachable grille sections also includes part of the means for firmly latching the detachable section to the major rigid part of the grille.

For these purposes, Figs. 6 and 7 show the detachable blade sections 5 as anchored near their upper ends to a cross-bar I0 of rearwardly open channel-section, and near their lower ends to a similarly sectioned cross-bar I. These two cross-bars Ill and 1 have parallel ends spaced by substantially the same distance as the adjacent blade-webs of the two continuous blades (lb and I c in Fig. 2) which define the sides of the opening normally spanned by the detachable section, so that the engagement of the cross-arm ends with the last named two continuous blades will prevent a lateral shifting of the detachable grille section.

I also provide means on both of the cross-bars I0 and I to which the continuous blades are anchored, for normally preventing both a forward and a rearward movement of the detachable grille section. For this latter purpose, Fig. 6 shows the upper web 2a of the lower cross-bar as supporting and fastened (as by a weld W) to a horizontal web of an angle strip which also includes a riser web 8a, the latter web being so spaced from the riser web 2 of the smaller strip section of the lower cross-bar that the said riser web 8a will engage a rearward portion of the lower cross-bar I of the detachable grille section when the blade portions 5 of that grille section bear forwardly against the said riser web 2 of the lower cross-bar as in Fig. 6.

Thus constructed, the webs 2, 8 and 8a in Fig. 6 form a socket into which the lower end of the detachable grille portion can readily be inserted, particularly when the rearward riser web 8a of this socket slopes upwards slightly away from the forward web 2 to permit the lower end of the detachable grille section to be tilted from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that of Fig. 6 during the attaching of the detachable grille section. The just recited sloping of the rearward riser web 8a also permits the detachable section to be rocked upon the bottom of the said socket when that section is being attached or detached, as in Fig. 10. Consequently, this socket effectively acts as a sill-forming portion of the stationary grille part. Moreover, when this socket is constructed of thin metal, as in Figs. 6 and 10, the resiliency egoevwen of the metal cam also facilitate the'said. rock ing while' still causing 'the' socket to: fit snugly detachable grille section:

(on which the lower. ends of these blade section's normally seat) and. the lower ends oi the stal tionary companionxbladesections- 4'. this, I make the junctures J (Figs 1) so incon spicuous as to require close observation to'noti'c'e' thempthereby making .thecompleted grille appear as .if allof its blades were of single-piece construction.

To limit the rearward movement. or: the upper part of the'detachable grille section and toinsure an: alinement oi the adia'centt ends-ofthe two portions 4' and: 5 of eachtwo-pie'ce blade,

I provide a stop fastened to' the stationary part of the grille and adapted to be engaged by upper portions of the blade parts 5" of the detachable grille section when this grille section been swung sufficiently' rearward"v (after its-lower end wasinsertedb in the-previously described socket arrangement as shownim Fig. tobring the sections 4 and 5 of each two-piece blade in a-linementh Forethis purpose I am' here showing the crossg; bar C as having its lower web C overhanging and fastened to the approximately horizontal web} 9 of an: angle-sectioned: latch-engaging member which: also includes a stop webfla dependingirom the forward edge ofthe said web 9 and adapted to engage the rear'edges' of the blades 5 of the detachable.grillesection, as shown in 6'.

i To latch the detachable grille section to the stationary part of the grille when thesetw'o parts have thus been assembled, I also provide" inter engaging means' onthes'e' two" parts adjacent to theupp'er endzof the detachablesection-and desirably construct these means so as toiacil it'ate their releasing. For this purpose, Figs." 6 and: 7

against the said curled spring portion H'aas thestop flange 9n, whileithe' upward pressure of the uncurled spring portion cooperates with gravityto press the lower'end of the detachable grille section against the bottom 8' ofthe heretofore described socket.

I'd-simplify the attaching of the spring, I desirably notch itsjfor-wa'rd end portion I !'b' (as in Fig. 5) so that thiswill straddl'e the rearwardportion of a blade directly in front of the sprin as in Figs. 5 and 7,'thereby enabling" a; single rivet I 2? to serve as the meansfor fastening the'spring to the cross-bar'lfll I also provide the stop web 9a of the said stop'member'with a notch 9b wider'than the spring, so that the spring can passyt his stop bladesection 5 or By doing" Thus disposed,- the curled portion 90: downwardly to enhance the latching eflcfiwithoutrequiring the rear end ofthe spring to be: disposed undul'y'higli above the cross-bar lfl 'to which the spring is fa'steneda With my spring-lat'oh thusconstructed, so that the: curled portion I l-a willreadily enter under therforwardlpart' of 'the web' 9 of the stop-member whilethedetachable: grille section is being attachedlas in lfiigz 9') ,-the depressed portion 90 of this stop member will flex the rear end of the spring? downwardswhen the said grille section is being tilte'dfa'rther rearward-to its normal posi-- tion andlthe' curled spring portion will snap behind: the said depressed portion as soon as the detachable grille section reaches its halted positio'n-oi Fig.6.

When the detachable section is to be removed, the spring c'an readily bereleased by inserting the tip of: a screwdriver I4 alongside the blade section 5 which is straddledby thespring, asshown in dotted lines in- Fig. 6, thereby permitting the said detachable section to be detached manually from the stationary main part of the grille, and notoolswhat'even' are required for the replacing of the attached grille section.

Indeed; I havefound in practice that'I can obtain-an adequately secure latching when the spring is of such moderate tension that the grasp ofa garage rnechanicsuflices-for pulling the upper end (it-the: detachablesection out of its latched position tc the'position of Figs 9, after whichthis section can more easily be grasped to lift its lower end out' of the-socket for the latter.

By'ma-king the cross-bars land it of the detachable' section' of" the grille of such length that they will fit slidably between the two grille blades lban'd lc of the stationary part of the grille, I- enable these cross-arms "to prevent any lateral movenientof the d'et'achable section. By disposing the spring I I so that it presses the detachable section-downward's against the web 8 which forms thebott'om of myheretofore described socket forn'i'ation' onthe-stationarypart of the grille, I also cause the" detachablesection to be rigidly supported even when the adjacent ends of the twopart grille blades do not quite abut against each other; Consequently, I guard against-rattling without requiring the detachable grille section to include a: frame and requiring the stationary grille portion to include a second frame closely fitting the aforesaid frame, or requiring any other auxiliary: rattle-preventing provisions. Consequently', the cost of my grille is only slightly greater than that of the usual grille, in which all blades" are continuousthroughout their length, and ihde'ed no higher than the usual cost of such a grille when providedwith a ring-shaped member borderinga crank-admitting aperture.

With the illustrated dimensions of my fullsized figures, the opening which is uncovered .when" the detachable section is removed will obthe usual radiator core behind the grille, or for manipulating a brush to scrape dirt or snow off the apron which usually underhangs the space between theradiator core and the grille. Consequently', my here presented invention presents far greater advantages than the usual provision inan automobile radiator grille for inserting a hand cranks,

However, while my full-sized drawings of Figs. 1; and 2 show the detachable section'of a height which would be a minor fraction of the height;

of a radiator grille onan automobile, and also show this section as of much less width than its height, it should be obvious that the height of this section can readily be varied; also, that its width can easily be varied by having it include sections of a larger proportion of the total number of blades in the grille.

So also, while I have illustrated my invention as applied to a grille of the now popularV-front type, obviously could be used equally with grilles of flat, bowed or other frontal configurations by merely shaping the several cross-bars to the corresponding frontal contours. It will likewise be obvious that such detachable sections could also be employed on grilles for other purposes-as for example on an air-outlet or air-inlet grille for air-conditioning cabinets, when access to some part behind such a grille is desirable. Hence I do not wish to be limited as to the purposes for which my here presented grille is to be used. 5

Furthermore, while I have illustrated and described my new grille in an embodiment including numerous details of construction and arrangement which I have found easy to manufacture and advantageous in operation, I do not wish to be limited in these respects, since many changes might be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appendedclaims.

For example, if the central blade of a grille is of a wider U-section than the usual quite narrow ones, the spring i I may have its forward end portion He extending into the interior of this central blade and fitting against the inward faces of the two blade webs, instead of having this end of the spring forked and straddling the blade as in Fig. 5.

Illustrative of other alternative details, Fig. 12 is a section allied to Fig. 6, showing the lower cross-bar l5 of the stationary part of the grille as having a widened U-back portion aifording a shoulder 15a, and showing the upper channel web I 50 of this cross-bar having its rearward portion I51) bent upward to cooperate with the main portion of the said web and with the said shoulder to afford a socket for receiving the lower ends of the blade-portions 5 of the detachable grille section.

Fig. 12 also shows the relatively higher cross-bar C of the stationary grille part as having its lower channel web C fastened to a strip it of spring metal which has its forward end portions Isabent downward to form a stop engaging the blade parts 5 of the detachable grille section. In addition, Fig. 12 shows the spring strip [6 as having its rear end portion lBb curved upward so that the curled end portion Ila of a spring I!- (fastened to the upper cross-bar ll! of the detachable grille section) will snap behind it, thereby permitting the resiliency of the two spring strips I6 and H to cooperate to effect the latching.

I claim as my invention:

l. A substantially upright fabricated metal grille comprising a rigid main and stationary grille part having an aperture in its lower portion intermediate of its width and also having a sillforming portion extending across the lower end of the said aperture, and a detachable grille section normally spanning the said aperture; the detachable grille section and the said sillforming portion of the main grille part having interengagingparts preventing both a forward and a rearward movement of the lower end of the detachable section with respect to the sillforming portion, but permitting the detachable grille section to be rocked forwardly about the sill-forming portion; stop means fast on the main grille part for limiting. the rearward movement of upper portion of the detachable grille section; and latching meansinterposecl between the upper portion of the detachable section and the stationary grille part for normally holding the said up per portion in engagement with the stop means.

2. A grille as per claim 1, in which the main grille part includes a stiffening bar extending adjacent to the upper end of the said aperture, to which stiffening bar the stop means are fastened.

3. A grille as per claim 1, in which the main grille part includes a generally horizontal bar adjacent to the upper end of the said aperture, and in which the stop means comprise a stop member fastened to the said bar, the stop means including a web against which portions of the detachable grille section normally bear rearwardly.

4. A grille as per claim 1, in which the detachable grille section has side portions thereof fitting respectively against portions ofthe main grille part which form the sides of the said aperture so as to prevent a lateral shifting of the detachable section.

5. A grille as per claim '1, in which the main grille, part includes a stiffening member extending adjacent to the upper end of the said aperture, and in which the latching means comprise a spring fast with respect to the detachable grille section and normally engaginga portion of the stiffening member.

6. A grille as per claim 1, in which the main grille part includes a stiffening member extending adjacent to the upper end of the said aperture, and in'which the latching means comprise a spring fast with respect to the detachable grille section and normally engaging a portion of the stiffening member; the said spring presenting its forward portion below the stifiening member to permit the insertion of a tool therebetween for disengaging the spring with the said portion of the stiffening member.

7. A substantially upright metal grille comprising a main and stationary grille part having an aperture in its lower portion intermediate of its width, and also having a sill-forming portion extending across the lower end of the said aperture, and a detachable grille section normally spanning the said aperture, the detachable grille section and the said sill-forming portion of the main grille part having interengaging parts formed for preventing both a forward and a rearward movement of the lower end of the detachable section with respect to the sill-forming portion, but permitting the detachable grille section to be rocked forwardly about the sill-forming portion; a stop member fast on the main grille part and presenting a frontal portion within the upper portion of the said aperture, against which frontal portion the detachable grille section normally bears rearwardly; and latching means fast upon the upper portion of the said detachable section and normally engaging a rearward portion of the stop member to press the detachable section against the said frontal portion.

8. A grille as per claim '7, in'which the latching means are disposed for urging the detachable grille member both forwardly and downwardly.

- 9. A grille as per claim 7, in which the latching means comprise a spring having its forward portion fastened to the detachable grille section; the said spring having a more rearward portion normally snapped behind the stop member.

10. A grille as per claim 7, in which the said frontal portion of the stop member is of greater 7 width than the spring and has a recess through which the spring can move during the attaching and detaching of the detachable member.

11. An upright grille comprising two horizontally spaced sets of spaced and substantially upright blades, a bottom cross-member extending across the space between the said two sets and connecting the said blades near the lower ends of the blades; a more elevated second cross-member connecting the blades of both sets and extending effectively across the space between the two sets of blades intermediate the height of the blades; an intermediate set of spaced and substantially upright blades disposed between'the aforesaid two sets of blades and fastened to the said second cross-member, the blades of the said intermediate set extending not materially downward beyond the second cross-member; a detachable grille section comprising upright blades of equal number and spacing as those of the intermediate set, and cross-bars respectively rigidly connecting upper and lower portions of the blades of the intermediate set; an upwardly open socket fast with respect to the said bottom cross-member, in which socket the lower ends of the blades of the detachable grille section are seated, the last named blades normally presenting their upper ends adjacent to and in alinem'ent with blades of the said third set; stop means fast with respect to the said second cross-member, against which stop means the detachable grille section normally bears rearwardly; and latching means normally pressing the upper portion of the detachable grille section against the stop means.

12. An upright grille as per claim 11, in which the latching means also normally press the detachable grille section downwardly into seating relation to the said socket.

13. A grille as per claim 11, in which the said socket comprises an upwardly open U-sectioned member normally having its U-shanks respectively engaging forward and rearward portions of lower end parts of the detachable grille section.

14. A grill as per claim 11, in which'the said socket comprises an upwardly U-sectioned member normally having its U-shanks respectively engaging forward and rearward portions of lower end parts of the detachable grille section, the said U-sectioned member being fast with respect to the part of the bottom cross-member which extends between the blades of the first named two blades of the detachable grille normally bear rearwardly.

16. A grille as per claim 11, in which the crossbars of the detachable grille section normally have their ends abutting respectively against the laterally innermost blades of the saidtwo sets.

. 17. A grille as per claim 11, in which the latching means comprise a spring latch fast with respect to the upper portion of the detachable grille section, and alatch-engaging member fast with respect to the said second cross-member.

18. A grille as per claim 11, in which, the latching means comprise a spring latch fast with respect to the upper portion of the detachable grille section; and a latch-engaging member fast with respect to the said second cross-member; the latch-engaging member presenting its latch-engaging portion at lower elevation than the said cross-member.

19. A grille as per claim 11, in which the latching means comprise a latch-engaging member fastened to the second cross-member, the latchengaging member including both an approximately upright web forming the said stop means and a web extending rearwardly from the said flange; and in which the latching means also include a spring fastened to the detachable grille section, the spring bearing normally both upwardly and forwardly against the rear edge portion of the said web. i

20. A grille as per claim 11, in which the latching means comprise a latch-engaging member fastened'to the second cross-member, the latchengaging member including both an approximately upright web forming the said stop means and a web extending rearwardly from the said flange; and in which the latching means also include .a spring fastened to the detachable grille section, the spring having a portion thereof normally engaging the rear edge of the said web, the said web sloping downward rearwardly.

21. A grille as per claim 11, in which the latching means comprise a latch-engaging member fastened to the second cross-member, the latchengaging member including both an approximately upright web forming the said stop means and a web extending rearwardly from the said flange; and in which the latching means also include a spring fastened to the detachable grille section, the spring bearing normally both upwardly and forwardly against the rear edge portion of the said web; the spring being of less width than the said upright web and the said web having a gap through which a part of the spring can pass when the detachable grill section is being attached or detached.

22. A grill as per claim'll, in which the latching means comprise a latch-engaging member fastened to the said second cross-member, and a spring formed of flat metal and having a rearward portion normally bearing forwardly against the latch-engaging member; the forward portion of the spring being in straddling relation to a blade of the detachable section of the grille, and the spring having a portion thereof intermediate of its length fastened to a cross-bar of the detachable section.

LEE B. GREEN. 

